If you should experience chest pain at anytime stop exercising immediately and call your physician.

Always make certain that you can hold a conversation while walking briskly. If you are too breathless slow down.

Use your arms by pumping them forwards and backwards.

Keep your head up and back straight.

Take comfortable lengthy strides.

Use running shoes, not walking shoes.

Walking program

WEEK

SLOW WALK minutes

BRISK WALK minutes

Days per week

1

5

15

5

2

5

20

5

3

5

25

5

4

5

30

5

5

5

35

5

6

5

40

5

7

5

45

5

8

5

50

5

9

5

55

5

Stage 2: Jogging Program

If you experience any chest pain stop exercising immediately and call your physician.

The following Jogging Program must be used by those who want to start jogging, or for those that would like to progress their jogging distance.

It is extremely important that the guidelines of the jogging program are followed to prevent an injury.

Before you begin jogging you must have been walking 45 minutes, 3 to 5 days per week. This is important for those that have never previously done jogging.

If you are currently jogging, then slot yourself in at the appropriate level and begin progressing from that point forwards.

Note the following important guidelines:

Frequency:

When the frequency is increased the duration is decreased, and then the duration is once again gradually increased.

Exercise 3 days per week from week 1 to week 8.

Exercise 4 days per week from week 9 to week 12.

Exercise 5 days per week from week 13 to week16.

Do not rest for 2 consecutive days, rather space your rest days during the week.

Duration:

You may increase your jogging time by a maximum of 5 minutes per week.

If you are not comfortable with increasing the duration by 5 minutes for a particular week, then maintain the same duration. You do not have to increase every week.

It is extremely important to not increase faster than the prescribed progression per week. It is wiser to progress slower than the prescribed progression, if necessary.

Avoid doing TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, TOO SOON, this will lead to injury.

You can stop at any stage of the program and maintain that level at which you feel comfortable. In other words you may want to maintain your jogging at 3 days per week for 30 minutes, and this is acceptable.

It is important to note that the jogging program is progressed according to time and not distance.

If you would like to progress beyond 45 minutes, 5 days per week, then you need to follow the “Long Distance Program”.

Intensity:

You should jog at a perceived exertion of “FAIRLY LIGHT” to “SOMEWHAT HARD”, do not jog at a perceived exertion of “HARD”. If the perceived exertion is “HARD” slow down.

Jogging program:

WEEK

BRISK WALK minutes

JOGGING minutes

BRISK WALK minutes

Days per week

1

5

10

30

3

2

5

15

25

3

3

5

20

20

3

4

5

25

15

3

5

5

30

10

3

6

5

35

5

3

7

5

40

5 minutes slow walk

3

8

5

45

5 minutes slow walk

3

9

5

30

10

4

10

5

35

5

4

11

5

40

5 minutes slow walk

4

12

5

45

5 minutes slow walk

4

13

5

30

10

5

14

5

35

5

5

15

5

40

5 minutes slow walk

5

16

5

45

5 minutes slow walk

5

Stage 3: Long Distance Running and Marathon Program

Note that you now measure your duration in miles, not in minutes.

This program is designed for those participants that wish to increase their jogging distance.

The program will allow the individual to build up to distances of 13.1 miles (½ marathon) and 26.2 miles (marathon) distance.

A single long run is introduced per week.

The Jogging Program is progressed according to time, whereas the Long Distance Program is progressed according to distance.

The total weekly distance/mileage is important to track.

Run only 5 days per week, and one of your rest days must be the day after your long jog/run.

Avoid doing TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, TOO SOON.

This is a 9 month marathon training program. If followed carefully, you will complete the distance comfortably.

Long Distance Running and Marathon Program

WEEK

DAYS / WEEK

LONG RUN (miles)

TOTAL WEEKLY MILEAGE.

Remaining miles for the week

1

5

5

20

15

2

5

6

22

16

3

5

5

20

15

4

5

6

22

16

5

5

6

22

16

6

5

7

24

17

7

5

6

22

16

8

5

7

24

17

9

5

7

24

17

10

5

8

26

18

11

5

7

24

17

12

5

8

26

18

13

5

9

26

17

14

5

11

28

17

15

5

9

26

17

16

5

11

28

17

17

5

11

28

17

18

5

13

30

17

19

5

11

28

17

20

5

13

30

17

21

5

13

30

17

22

5

15

32

17

23

5

13

30

17

24

5

15

32

17

25

5

15

32

17

26

5

17

35

18

27

5

15

32

17

28

5

17

35

18

29

5

15

35

20

30

5

20

40

20

31

5

15

35

20

32

5

13

30

17

33

3

10

25

15

34

3

8-10

20

10-12

35

Day 3 & 4 before the marathon. Do only 2-3 miles each day at a very easy pace.

The 2 Days before the marathon =

complete rest

MARATHON

DAY

Some important marathon tips:

Have 2 days of complete rest before marathon day.

You need to taper your mileage the last 2 weeks prior to the marathon. This will allow complete muscle recovery.

This is your first marathon and therefore you do not need to do more than 40 miles in a week.

You must do at least one half marathon approximately 8 weeks prior to your marathon.

It is important to do 1 twenty miler 4-5 weeks prior to the marathon. Do not do more as this will not allow sufficient recovery time before marathon day.

On marathon day wear running gear that you have been training in for awhile, do not try anything new on marathon day. This includes carbohydrate replenishment gels. Try these during some long training runs to see how you enjoy and cope with them.